All Good Things Take Some Time
by Lilly117
Summary: Series of OS before and after the wedding. Some fluffy, blissful moments.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey y'all :) I have been trying to keep myself occupied during this hiatus and this is the result ... I re-wrote the proposal again. I just can't help it. I'm still trying to process that our babies are really getting married. This is so exciting ! Anyways, I thought about doing a series of OS leading up to the wedding, maybe some after the wedding as well. I don't know how much time I will have for writing now that the holidays are over, so for now it'll be one chapter at a time.**

 **I'm not a native speaker, so this might not be perfect, but I hope you like it anyway. I'm grateful for every review, good or bad, and if you have any suggestions for future chapters (scenes you'd like me to write), please let me know. I can't promise anything, but I might consider you're suggestions.**

 **All characters of "Nashville" belong to ABC and the wonderful Callie Khouri.**

 **Thanks for the edit, Rachel !**

* * *

" _Baby, I love you so much. Will you marry me ?"_

Rayna's breath caught in the back of her throat when she saw the beautiful diamond ring Deacon was holding. Looking at the love of her life kneeling in front of her, she felt her eyes filling with tears of joy. A simple " _yeah_ " was all she managed to say before she bent down to take Deacon's face in both of her hands and placed a soft kiss on his lips. She only pulled away from the kiss, because she knew that Deacon was still holding the ring in his hand and she wanted nothing more than for him to finally put it on her finger. Never taking her eyes off of him she couldn't suppress a soft laughter when Deacon just looked at her and remained speechless for a short moment.

He had never felt something more powerful than this in his entire life. Asking the woman he had been loving for almost thirty years now to become his wife was something he wanted to be perfect down to the last detail. He bought the ring three weeks ago and carried it with him ever since. The opening of the bar seemed like the perfect time and place for the proposal, but as luck would have it, they somehow ended up on their favorite bridge tonight and Deacon knew it was now or never.

Finally realizing what just happened he removed the ring from the box and carefully placed it on her finger.

She watched this intimate action, feeling overwhelmed with love for him. As she finally saw the ring on her finger she felt her eyes becoming wet again.

Starting the day with a fight about Markus, which wasn't really a fight in her opinion, and then another argument just before they met on the bridge, Rayna never thought that this would turn out to be one of the happiest days of her life. On second thought, this day was the perfect reflection of her relationship with Deacon. They were passionate people and both of them were pretty stubborn, which is why they often fought about and discussed everything and everyone. At the end of the day, though, they always found their way back to each other. They were like two magnets. There was no denying in the strong pull towards each other and with the shiny ring on her finger it felt like they were finally showing everyone that they officially gave up fighting this mutual attraction.

Turning his eyes away from her left hand, Deacon got up and searched her eyes with his again. They exchanged a look of love and mutual understanding that said more than words ever could. Both of them knew that this time, without any secrets, addiction or a severe illness keeping them apart, they would make it work.

Not wanting to wait any longer Deacon brought his lips to hers and could feel her intensify the kiss as soon as their lips melted together. She buried her hands in his hair and brought him even closer. Feeling her tongue begging for entrance, Deacon willingly opened his mouth a little more and let out a small moan when her tongue completely slipped inside. As their tongues were dueling Deacon let one hand wander from her waist to her lower back and pulled her as close as possible. Completely entangled, with no space between them, they felt their hearts beating in unison as they were passionately kissing each other in front of the Nashville Skyline. Breaking away from the kiss in the need of air, Rayna gently stroked his stubble and looked into his deep blue eyes.

"I love you," she simply said and gave him a warm smile. One, that only he would ever get to see.

Deacon intertwined his fingers with hers and brought her left hand to his mouth to cover it with several soft kisses, his lips carefully brushing over the new ring.

"Let's make this official, baby. Everyone's still at the Beverly and I can't wait to tell everyone that you're gonna be my wife," he smiled and leaned in for another kiss.

"That sounds so good coming out of your mouth, babe. Let's not waste any more time. We waited long enough for this," she replied.

As she felt him moving and tugging on her hand to make her walk with him, she stayed put and held him back. Taking a few steps, she closed the distance between them again and placed one last lingering kiss on his lips, before they continued to stroll across the bridge, hand in hand.

* * *

As they arrived at the bar Scarlett noticed them immediately. Standing close to the door her eyes caught sight of the ring Rayna was wearing on her left hand; the one Deacon had shown her earlier. Scarlett excused herself from the table she was standing at with a few friends and ran towards the newly engaged couple. Giving both of them a bear hug she squealed with excitement. "Oh my God, guys! Congratulations, I'm so happy for you!"

As Scarlett reached for Rayna's hand and admired the engagement ring a few people around them noticed what was going on and came closer to congratulate them as well. Soon Rayna and Deacon found themselves surrounded by people, who wanted to celebrate their engagement with them. Both of them were beaming with happiness and they only reluctantly let go of each others hands when they were pulled into hugs from other people. As happy as they were to share and celebrate their love with everyone in this room, Rayna remembered that their girls still were in the room somewhere and she felt like talking to them was the most important thing in this moment. Excusing herself from the knot of people around her she searched the room for the girls and found them sitting in the pews in front of the stage with Frankie's daughter, Cash. They didn't seem to have noticed what was going on in the back of the room as they were chatting with Cash and watching the guy on stage, who was entertaining the crowd. Rayna tried to make eye contact with Deacon, but he was talking to Frankie and surrounded by several friends and it didn't seem like they wanted to let him go anytime soon. Laughing about everyone's excitement, Rayna stole away from the little engagement celebration in the back half of the bar and approached the girls.

Daphne was the first who noticed her. "Mom, you're here! Where have you been? You missed Scarlett's and Deacon's performance," she exclaimed.

"Well, I had to take care of a few things first …," Rayna began, but was interrupted by her youngest.

"Is Markus gonna stay in Nashville or is he really going back to LA?" she asked, referring to the drama that took place earlier this day.

"I'm afraid he's really moving back to LA, honey, but this …," she was interrupted again, this time by her oldest daughter.

"Mom, is there something else you wanna tell us?" she asked, her eyes pointing to Rayna's new ring.

"Yeah actually, this is what I ..."

"Oh my Gosh! Does that mean what I think it does?" Daphne grabbed her mother's hand and eyed the ring. "Did Deacon give this to you? It's a beautiful ring," she went on, not giving Rayna a chance to speak.

"Of course he did. It's an engagement ring," Maddie commented.

Rayna looked at her eldest daughter and tried to read something from her facial expression, but as her voice it was rather neutral and didn't give away any feelings.

"That's right. He gave it to me. How do you feel about this? Are you okay with this?" Rayna carefully asked, hoping the girls wouldn't have any objections, because there was no way she would call off the wedding. Not this time.

Before she could answer, Rayna felt a hand on the small of her back. She turned around to see Deacon standing behind her. Smiling, she leaned against him and focused her attention on the girls again.

"I think it's great," Daphne explained and added," when's the wedding ?"

"We haven't talked about this just yet, but you won't have to wait too long." Deacon looked at Daphne and then back to Rayna, who nodded eagerly and assured him, "Definitely not too long.".

"Well then, congratulation," Maddie said dryly and tried not to make eye contact with her parents.

Daphne, on the other hand, seemed to be genuinely excited about the news. When Cash got up to congratulate Rayna and Deacon, she followed suit and gave both of them a big hug. Maddie, however, made no move to get up. Stubbornly keeping her eyes on the stage she tried her best to ignore what was going on next to her. Rayna and Deacon both noticed their daughter's reticence, but only exchanged a glance and decided not to act on it right now.

"Okay girls, I think it's time to go home," she declared instead. The girls complained, but didn't really protest and soon began to say their goodbyes to everyone.

"Maddie's excitement was very limited, wasn't it?" Deacon remarked as the girls bid their farewell to Scarlett.

Rayna nodded. "Yeah, but it didn't really surprise me. She's been acting like that all the time lately. I'm gonna try to talk to her on the way home, but I doubt she's gonna talk to me."

"Maybe we can talk to both of them tomorrow. I just wanna make sure they're okay with this," Deacon replied.

Reaching out to gently stroke his cheek, Rayna said. "Don't worry, babe. They will be okay. I guess they even knew already that this was gonna happen some day. They just didn't know when."

"Seems like everyone saw it coming, didn't it? I mean, they were all happy for us, but it didn't seem like we really knocked anyone off their feet with this," he laughed.

"As long as you can still knock me off my feet, I don't care what everyone else does," Rayna laughed and leaned in for a sweet kiss.

"I can still do that?" Deacon playfully asked, knowing full well what effect he still had on her after all these years.

"How about you try later?" Rayna flirted and kissed him again.

"I'd love to. I try to get home as soon as possible, okay? Just need to coordinate a few things with Frankie and then I'll hopefully get outta here," he replied.

"Okay," Rayna whispered against his lips and captured them with hers again. She would rather he just came home with her now, but she knew that he didn't want to leave Frankie hanging on the opening night.

"I'll see you at home then," he promised, stealing one last kiss from her lips. He tucked a flick of hair behind her ear and added, "Drive safe ! I love you," before they reluctantly let go of each other and Rayna headed for the exit.

* * *

The light in the master bedroom was dimmed, but still on when Deacon came home. He'd kept his promise and left the bar only half an hour after Rayna drove home with the girls.

Sitting on their bed now, Rayna was reading something on her iPad and didn't see Deacon coming through the door. Smiling at the sight of her, wearing glasses and one of his old Bluebird Cafe shirts, his smile got even bigger when he saw the ring on her finger. He still couldn't believe that this gorgeous woman would soon become his wife, but the ring on her finger seemed to be a good indication that today really wasn't a dream.

"You're here," Rayna smiled as she looked up and noticed him.

"Promised you I'd get home soon," he replied as he approached her. Coming to a stop in front of the bed he leaned over and gave her a tender kiss.

"You look kinda gorgeous wearing those glasses. Did I ever tell you that?" he laughed and pulled away from the kiss.

"Oh quit mocking me, babe. Maddie said the glasses made me look like the teacher she had in the first grade. She wasn't very popular with the pupils, if I remember that correctly," Rayna replied as she took of the glasses and put aside the iPad.

"Well, she must've been pretty hot, though," Deacon smiled and brought his lips to Rayna's again. Feeling his lips on hers, Rayna wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. Her hands played with the short hair in the nape of his neck while she deepened the kiss. Lightly biting down his lower lip she could feel him moaning deep in her throat as their tongues began to dance around each other. He was practically laying on top of her as she started to undo the buttons of his vest. He pulled away from the kiss only so much so she had better access to the buttons. As soon as they got rid of his vest, Rayna unbuttoned his shirt and left a wet trail of kisses on the skin she revealed. She placed several kisses on the scar on his chest and then kissed her way down to the waistband of his jeans. When the shirt fluttered open, he helped her push it off of his shoulders and captured her lips with his again. Not intensifying the kiss this time, he let his lips wander to her neck and covered it with sweet kisses. Making sure to pay attention to every inch of skin on her neck and throat, he gently sucked at the spot behind her ear. Knowing that this spot was very sensitive, he wasn't surprised when he felt her holding her breath and then moaning lowly. He continued to nibble her neck as his hands found the hem of her shirt. Slipping them underneath the fabric, he could feel her warm and soft skin as he stroked her sides with both of his hands.

His hands and lips on her bare skin caused a tingling sensation all over her body. After all these years he still was the only one who could drive her this crazy with just his touches and kisses.

As his calloused hands cupped her breasts and he gently began to play with her nipples, Rayna bit her lip to suppress a loud moan. She ran her finger tips up his back and then raised her arms so he could pull her shirt over her head.

The shirt fell on the floor as Deacon shifted his position and pulled Rayna on his lap. She wasn't wearing a bra so she sat in front of him now wearing nothing but her panties. Taking in the sight of his beautiful fiancee, Deacon's breath caught in his throat. Knowing her for almost thirty years, he was familiar with every inch of her body by now, but seeing her like this still took his breath away.

"God, you're so beautiful, Ray," he whispered and sealed his words with a passionate kiss. She tasted like home to him and he never wanted to miss this taste anymore. Savoring it as long as possible, they only broke the kiss when they were gasping for air.

Rayna moved slightly on his lap and could feel him hard against her thighs. Painfully slowly she let her hands wander down to his belt. As he felt her slender fingers fumbling with the belt buckle and then the button and zipper of his jeans he took a sharp breath. Feeling her hand innocently brushing over the bulge in his jeans, he tightened the grip on her hips. He was incredibly turned on already and he could tell that she didn't want to wait any longer either. Getting of his lap she helped him pushing the jeans off of his hips, with his boxers and her panties following in now time.

Locking eyes with each other he gently pushed her on her back as their lips found each other once again and he slowly slid into her. A sense of security and bliss of love took over her as their bodies melted together and both of them knew that today would mark the final beginning of their eternity.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey everyone :) Thanks for the reviews on the previous chapter ! They're much appreciated. I'm very busy with university classes at the moment, so it took a while to finish this one. I started it around christmas, so it has a few little christmas elements in it ... I hope you don't mind ;-)**

 **The songs I mentioned in this chapter are _White Christmas, Playin' Tricks_ (written by Justin Davis, Sarah Zimmerman and Adam Wright), _Whiskey Lips_ (written by Matthew Alderman, Charles Esten and Phillip Lammonds) as well as _I'll Never Know Why_ (written by Marty Dodson, Charles Esten and Kyle Jacobs). **

**Enjoy and please let me know what you think !**

* * *

Rayna was on her way down already when she heard her youngest daughter's voice. "Mom, can you help me curl my hair, please?" Daphne requested and Rayna turned around.

"Sweetie, we're late already. You look beautiful with straight hair too, okay?" she tried to convince her daughter once she got to her room.

"We're only late, because you came home late from your office," Daphne complained. "I want my hair curly tonight," she insisted and crossed her arms.

Sighing Rayna looked at her watch and then back to her daughter. Then she took the curling iron out of her daughter's hands and began to wind a strand of Daphne's long hair round it.

Tonight Deacon and Frankie were throwing a Christmas party at the Beverly and Rayna had promised to be there. In fact, she really wanted to be there since she knew how much tonight meant to Deacon. He and Frankie had decided that tonight's admission would be donated to an organization which supported families that were affected by the addiction of a loved one.

Knowing how important supporting this organization was for Deacon, Rayna was afraid that he might think she would let him down if she was running late. She quickly curled her daughter's hair before the two of them headed to the Beverly.

* * *

Arriving at the bar, they met Maddie, who had come earlier with Cash and stood at a table with some friends now. Greeting her daughter, Rayna asked Daphne to stay with her sister as she searched the room for Deacon. Spotting him next to the pews, she made her way through the crowd and approached him from behind, wrapping her arms around his middle. Looking down at her hands and noticing her engagement ring, Deacon knew immediately who was standing behind him. Grinning, he turned around and greeted her with a sweet kiss.

Kissing him back, Rayna softly stroked his stubble and apologized, "I'm sorry I'm so late, babe. I got home late from the office and then Daphne refused to leave the house without having her hair curled and you know that the traffic ..."

Deacon couldn't suppress a laughter as she rambled on. Bringing one finger to her lips to silence her, he reassured, "It's okay baby. I'm just glad you're here now. Besides you didn't really miss anything so far. Except maybe for Will performing. He killed it ! You should really sign him as soon as possible."

"I don't even know if he's looking for a label at the moment. Seemed like he wanted to keep a low profile and focus on his songwriting after his coming out," she replied.

"He's a damn good songwriter, but he's an even better performer. I don't think it was his choice to just write songs for other people. It's a shame that Wheeler dropped him, but that might be a good chance for you to offer him a contract," Deacon suggested.

Rayna loosened the grip around his waist and took a step back. Taking his hand in hers she drew lazy circles on the back of his hand and thought about what he had said.

"You're right. But I was thinking, maybe you could talk to him ..." Rayna looked at him expectantly.

"Me?" Deacon seemed to be surprised.

"Well you toured with him and so you know him much better than I do …," she tried to convince him.

Smiling, he took a step towards her and closed the distance between them again. "Rayna Jaymes, are you trying to use me as your wingman here?"

"Mm babe, I think I could use your help here as my wingman slash partner for Highway 65 ..." she purred and leaned in for a kiss.

"What are you asking me, Ray?" he laughed.

Rayna took both of his hands in hers and tried to remain as serious as possible. "Deacon Claybourne, will you officially be my talent scout for my label?"

Laughing wholeheartedly at her attempt to make puppy eyes, he brought his lips to hers once again and said, "I can't say no to my fiancee, can I? I can't promise anything, though, but I'll try my best."

"Thanks babe," she smiled and then pointed towards the stage with her head. "I can't wait to see you on that stage later. It's been too long since the last time I saw you performing."

"Speaking of which, I should probably go now. We're up next and I wanna catch up with the boys before we go on stage." He kissed her forehead, then the tip of her nose before he captured her lips with his. Feeling her deepening the kiss, he reluctantly pulled away. "I gotta go now ...", he mumbled, not really wanting to leave her.

"Okay," she whispered against his lips, brushing them with hers before she stepped back and let him walk towards the backstage area.

* * *

A little while later Rayna stood in the back of the bar and expectantly waited for Deacon to come on stage. When Frankie finally introduced him and he entered the stage, the crowd went wild. Smiling at their excitement, Rayna cheered and clapped along. Seeing Deacon on stage had always made her happy, but seeing everyone's excitement meant more to her than words could describe.

He started his short set with "Playin' Tricks" and from the first note he played on his guitar, Rayna couldn't take her eyes off of him. Even after so many years of working with him, it still amazed her with how much passion he played his instrument. He was one of the best guitar players in Nashville, that was for sure and Rayna knew that she was one lucky woman for making music with him for so many years, but what she appreciated even more than his skills was that Deacon was one of the, very rare, true musicians in Nashville. He didn't care about how much money he made with his music, he just wanted to play music. He didn't care about fame or celebrity status, he was happy to play for a small crowd at the Bluebird, where people appreciated the music that was being played and listened to the artists. All Deacon ever wanted, was to express his feelings, through his songs and his guitar playing.

Looking at him now, melting together with his guitar, it almost felt as if he wanted to let the guitar do the talking and Rayna immediately understood the story it told.

When he finished the song, the applause he got was ear-deafening and that sure wasn't a given. Rayna knew from her own experience that often the audience in bars was a crowd with no ears. Most of them came to drink a few beers and have fun with their friends. They didn't really care who stood on the stage or what was being played and that could be very tiring for an artist. Tonight's crowd, however, was different and the fact that Deacon's performance definitely had a role in it, somehow made her proud. She knew that she didn't have anything to do with his talent, but she was proud, because she has been on his side for almost thirty years now and she knew that no one deserved the recognition more than he did. He never asked for this kind of attention. He never complained about only being her side man and the success he had now as a solo artist probably meant more to her than it did to him. Still, he always worked on his own music and a solo career was within his reach a couple of times. It had just never been his main priority. Rayna knew, though, that deep down he appreciated to finally have an audience that listened to the stories that he wanted to tell.

Hearing him announcing "I'll Never Know Why" now, Rayna smiled while she listened to the first verse.

 _She tells me that she don't deserve me_

 _And I say, "baby that's the truth"_

 _She laughs because she thinks I'm joking_

 _But I know how much better she could do_

 _And I know that's what everybody's thinking_

 _Me, I think it all the time_

 _But somehow, she don't seem to see it_

 _She's still got her hand in mine_

It was no secret that most of the stories his songs told were stories about her. "I'll Never Know Why" was an old song that he had written for her after his first time in rehab. It had never been cut and Rayna didn't know if he kept it for himself on purpose or if he just never found the time to record and release it. He had always been a very private person and especially when it came to their relationship, Deacon was a book of seven seals. With their recent engagement creating a renewed public interest in their history, he still refused to talk to reporters about it, but Rayna thought that maybe playing these old songs was his way of opening up to the public and telling them about their history.

Once the music stopped and the crowd broke into applause again, her eyes found his and she gave him a warm smile. She knew that he would do one more song and she was pleasantly surprised when she heard him announce that he would close the set with "Whiskey Lips". It was an old song too and a very personal one as well and although the lyrics weren't true for them anymore, it still was one of her favorites. Listening to him, she was amazed by the effect his voice still had one her. It caused goosebumps all over her body and created a tingling sensation in her belly. She always loved his soft, yet husky voice and she thought that this song brought it off like no other. Looking around the room she could tell that she wasn't the only one who felt that way and that was all it took to make the proud smile on her face even bigger.

* * *

"Thank y'all so much," Deacon said as he finished his three-song set.

"Let me just take a minuted to thank y'all for coming out tonight and for supporting this great cause," he thanked the audience and explained, "Most of you know that as an alcoholic myself I know first hand what your addiction can do to the people you love the most. I am lucky to have my great support system, my family, here with me tonight and I can't tell them enough how grateful I am for their patience, support and endless love."

Saying these words his eyes automatically locked with Raynas, finding nothing but love, understanding and encouragement in them.

"Anyways, I know that things don't always turn out as well as they did for my family and me and so I am glad to be able to help those who are still struggling with the addiction of a loved one," Deacon said and smiled gratefully as the crowd showed their support by applauding loudly.

"I don't wanna make tonight all about the charity, though, since Christmas is only a few days away and we're all very excited for this, aren't we ?" he asked and the crowd answered with roaring applause.

"So, I thought we might play some Christmas music tonight, but I don't really feel like doing this all by myself ...", he teased and fixated his gaze on Rayna. "I'm lucky to have my wonderful fiancee here with me tonight and I was wondering if she might want to come up here and sing this next one with me?" he looked at Rayna expectantly. He could tell that she was surprised and he hoped that she wouldn't be mad at him for putting her on the spot with his request. They didn't talk about performing together tonight, but watching her singing along to his songs earlier, he couldn't resist asking her to join him for one song. He was relieved when he saw that Rayna didn't seem angry at all, but just smiled and made her way through the crowd. Climbing on stage, she took Deacon's hand and laughed.

"What are you doing?" she asked, for his ears only.

"Asking my fiancee to sing a Christmas song with me," he replied, only loud enough for her to hear.

Still holding her hand, he reached for the mic.

"Rayna Jaymes, everyone!" he introduced her and Rayna waved at the crowd.

"How about we dream about having a White Christmas all together?" he asked, referring to the well known song.

He knew that Rayna knew the words, because they played that song several times for Christmas events back in the day. Looking at her now, waiting for her "okay", he told the band to start playing when she nodded her approval.

Before the band played a note, though, all of a sudden a Santa hat flew on the stage and landed right before Rayna's feet. Rayna and Deacon both laughed, looking at the red and white item, that someone tossed on the stage. Deacon picked it up and held it up for everyone to see.

"Whoever threw that; you're right. It ain't no Christmas song without a Santa hat," he said and before Rayna had a chance to react, he put it on her head.

Startled, she jumped a little and looked at Deacon with both eyes wide open. "You did not just do that," she cried.

"I guess I did. Does that mean I'm in trouble now ?" he smirked. Their bickering was visible and audible for everyone now and soon the room was filled with laughter.

"Oh yeah darling, you sure are," Rayna raised her eyebrow and feigned consternation.

"Uh oh … So how about we just start singing?" Deacon suggested.

"Mm, we better," she replied and shot him an half-serious "We're gonna talk about that later" look.

Laughing, Deacon nodded and told the band to start off the song. Before they started to sing, he looked at the woman next to him and mouthed "I love you" in her direction. She answered by just nodding and talking to him through her eyes. _I know, but don't think I'll let you get away with it just like that_.

After their performance Deacon thanked the audience again and announced the amount of money they had raised tonight. Rayna took a step back and listened carefully as he said a few words about the organization and the bar.

The idea of him owning a bar had been a nightmare to her at first, but as she heard the pride in his voice now, she knew that trusting him was not only the right thing to do, but the only thing as well. Considering the fact that the bar functioned as a venue for events like the one tonight, it was not only the right decision for him and her, but also for the people who came here and enjoyed the music and the ones, that profited from the money that was raised tonight. Deacon always cared about other people and offered his help to everyone, who needed it. She had always loved that about him and she was glad that the bar was an opportunity for him to keep doing that. What she loved even more, though, was that he finally had something he was passionate about and this time it had nothing to do with her or anyone else. He had gotten this up on his own, because he wanted to it and it was his passion.

Standing behind him now, beaming with pride and probably looking ridiculous with the Santa hat still on her head, Rayna was happy to give him his time in the spotlight. He deserved this more than anyone else and it didn't bother her at all, that for tonight, she was just the woman behind the man. Her man.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey y'all :) Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter. Means the world to me. Unfortunately it's still not March 16, but it's getting closer and we'll hopefully get an extended promo or something like that in a few weeks. Until then, I hope this chapter helps to kill the time. It's just some fluff, but I hope you like it anyway. Please let me know what you think !**

* * *

Rayna hated being sick. Not only because it made her feel terrible, but more because she just didn't have the time for it. Luckily she rarely got sick, but if she did, it always was in the middle of a tour, shortly before an important event or even during the holidays, when being sick was the last thing you needed.

Now she laid in bed after having spent most of the night in the bathroom in front of the toilet and felt absolutely awful. She sure wasn't the type of woman who complained about every minor ailment, but today it was really hard for her not to complain about her well-being. Having more or less puked her guts out last night, she just felt tired and weak now. Her head felt as if she had just emptied a bottle of Jack Daniels and the cold she was battling for a few days now made breathing through her nose almost impossible.

She had the flu, there was no denying that anymore after last night, but what she hated even more than being laid low, was the terrible timing her body had. With the wedding only one week away, she hated not being able to do anything right now.

She dozed off again for a few more hours before she heard the door being opened carefully.

* * *

"I'm sorry baby, I didn't wanna wake you. Just wanted to check on you," Deacon apologized as he entered the room and sat down on the bed next to Rayna.

She took his hand in hers and gave him a small smile. "It's okay. I can't sleep the day away anyway. Did the girls get to school okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, they did. Don't worry about that. I've got everything under control here," he said calmly.

Rayna nodded weakly. "I'm sorry I'm no help today, babe. I know you didn't sleep very much either last night," she replied apologetically. Looking at the bags under his eyes she could tell that he probably was as tired as she was. He had spent the night with her on the bathroom floor, alternating between holding her hair back, rubbing her back and holding a cold washcloth to her forehead. He must've been dog-tired, but he tried not to let it show in front of her.

"It's okay, I'm good. Just want you to get better soon," he explained and put one hand to her forehead. "The fever's still not gone, huh?" he asked worriedly.

"Not completely, but it dropped a little, I think," she tried to calm him.

He nodded and tried to suppress a yawn. "Is there anything I can do for you? Anything you need?" he offered. When she shook her head, he asked again. "You sure that you don't need anything? Soda, tea, a cold washcloth …?"

He hoped to find anything that would make her feel better. He hated seeing her like this, but he knew that at the moment he could do nothing more but to be there for her and take care of everything she usually took care of. When she shook her head again, he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Just let me know when you need anything. I told Lauren to meet me here today instead of at the location, so I'll be downstairs for a while now," he said, referring to the appointment with the wedding planner they had today.

"That's sweet of you. Thanks, babe." She smiled at him affectionately.

"You got it," he leaned down and kissed her forehead. As he was about to get up, Rayna held him back. "Did you tell Maddie to call off meeting Cash today? They wanted to meet and write together or something, but you really don't have to drop her off and pick her up there today," Rayna reminded him.

"Yep, Maddie told me about that. Cash's gonna pick her up from school and drop her off here later," he smiled at her warmly and chuckled.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing … It's just that you're in full on mama-mode again. You just can't help it, can you?" He grinned.

"No, I guess I can't. Sorry! I know you got everything under control and all, but I just hate laying here and not being able to help you with anything," she complained.

"I know you hate it, but I'm not gonna let you do anything until you're fully recovered," Deacon said firmly.

"You're so good to me babe …," Rayna thanked him.

"Well actually, I'm just being selfish here," Deacon smirked. "I mean I want you healthy and happy for the wedding next week, so I better take real good care of you now," he explained.

"Mmh, is that so?" she asked and looked at him teasingly.

"Yep …," he replied and brought his face closer to hers. Feeling his hot breath on her lips, it took all of her willpower to not just lean in and let him kiss her.

She brought her hands to his cheeks instead and whispered against his lips. "If you want both of us happy and healthy for the wedding next week, you better not do this right now."

"Does that mean no kissing then?" Deacon sighed.

Rayna shook her head and patted his cheek gently. "I only want what's best for you, sweetheart," she laughed.

Sighing, Deacon pulled away and grumbled something she didn't understand.

"What did you say?" she asked, but before Deacon had a chance to reply, they heard the ringing of the doorbell. Taking a deep breath, he got up and muttered, slightly sulkily, but with no real anger, "That's got to be Lauren. I better make sure then the wedding really happens next week."

"Thank you, babe," she said sincerely and followed him with her eyes as he left the room.

Being sick still wasn't her favorite thing in the world, but having the love of her life taking such good care of her, made it a lot more bearable.

* * *

When Deacon came back home later that day from a recording session with Scarlett and Gunnar and walked into the bedroom, he was surprised to find the bed empty. Noticing the closed bathroom door, he knocked carefully. "Ray, are you in there? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay. You can come in if you like. The door's unlocked," she replied.

As he opened the door, he smiled when he found her in the bathtub, surrounded by candles. Her hair was in a messy bun and she still looked a little weary, but to him she couldn't be any more beautiful. Getting to see this side of her was one of the things he missed the most during the long time they spent apart. They had always been a part of each others lives, as lovers, as friends, as partners. Even during the time, in which they weren't in a relationship, he got seen many different sides of her. He got to see her as a performer, as a business woman, as a mom and more than once as a friend, he could always count on. There wasn't one side he didn't like, but he found that what he loved the most, was what he didn't get to see until they got back together. Her domestic side. The one where she wore no make up, a pair of sweatpants and one of his old shirts. The one where she cuddled up to him on the couch while they were watching a movie. The one where she stole all of his covers and then snuggled up to him to make sure that he didn't get cold. Looking at her now, he knew that it was definitely worth the wait.

Her body was covered with bubbles and just the thought of her being naked underneath it, quickened his pulse and got his heart almost popping out of his chest. He knew that she was still sick, though, so he tried to keep a cool head and mentally told himself not to think about what was underneath the foam.

"Looks pretty comfy in here …," he said as he crouched down next to her. Remembering what she had told him earlier about kissing her, he took her hand in his and placed a few kisses in it. _If kissing her on the mouth wasn't allowed, he could still kiss other parts of her body._

She didn't complain, but just laced her fingers with his. "The candles were Daphne's idea actually. When I told her that I wanted to take a bath, she literally jumped out of her seat, ran upstairs and prepared everything," Rayna explained.

"That was very sweet of her," Deacon smiled and added, "I didn't know she was that romantic, though. You know, candles and all … She usually refers to stuff like that as 'corny', doesn't she?"

Rayna nodded. "She does, but she knows that I like it and she just wanted to make me feel better, so ..."

"Are you feeling better?" he asked.

"Yeah, but now that you're here, there's one thing that could make me feel even better …," she teased.

"And what's that?" he wanted to know.

"Come join me," she invited him, her voice a little more sexy than intended.

She was still too tired to think about anything else but cuddling tonight. All she wanted was to lean onto his chest and be close to him and she really thought that a hot bath would do him good as well after this long day. Looking at him, she could see the desire in his eyes, but she also saw concern in them.

"I just wanna be close to you, babe. I think it would really help. Both of us," she said softly.

Deacon knew from the minute she asked him to join her that it would be very hard to resist her. It had always been hard, but today he really wanted to be a gentleman and not take advantage of the situation. Her arguments, however, were all it took for him to throw his caution to the wind. He got up and started to undress himself, feeling her eyes on him, carefully watching every move he made.

Watching him unbuttoning his shirt, she couldn't take her eyes off of him. As the shirt fell to the floor, she admired his strong and well-defined upper body. He didn't work out regularly, but he did a few push-ups here and there and he ate a healthy diet. That and a few good genes he had inherited, made him look better now than he ever did.

Rayna bit her lips as he pulled down his jeans and stepped out of them. He caught her staring at him, but he didn't react on it and just proceeded with his actions. He shed his socks, before he lowered his boxers painfully slowly, knowing full fell that Rayna was enjoying his little show. As he stood in front of her, completely naked, she didn't even pretend to be subtle and eyed him shamelessly. Secretly, he had always belonged to her, they both knew that, but it was moments like this that made her realize that he was hers now, completely and officially. She was the only one, who would ever get to see him like this. She was the only one, who would ever get to cuddle up with him in a bathtub, his arms protectively wrapped around her. She was the only one, who would ever get to kiss his scar all the way down and up again ... Thinking about how lucky she was to call a man like him, hers, she licked her lips absently.

"You like what you see, Ray ?" he grinned as he saw her blush. _If only I could show you how much I like it_ , she thought, but didn't say it out loud. Instead she shifted her position so that he could sit behind her and waited for him to get into the bathtub. As he sat behind her, she melted into his arms and rested her head on his chest. Being in his arms has always made her feel safe, protected and loved and today it definitely helped to make her feel better. She covered his hands, which he had placed on her belly, with hers and smiled when he gently kissed her neck and then her shoulder.

 _Maybe cuddling wasn't the only thing on her mind today after all._

* * *

 **Thanks for the edit, Rachel !**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey y'all ! I decided not to write about the wedding and write a little future scenario instead. I've had this idea in my head ever since Rayna flew across the country to surprise Luke during a show ... Writing this kinda fixed things for me and I hope you enjoy reading it just as much as I enjoyed writing it ;-)**

 **Thanks for the edit, Rachel !**

* * *

 **June 2017**

Rayna knew from her own experience that going on tour was not always sunshine and roses. She loved performing, connecting with the audience in a way that was only possible during a concert and she liked being surrounded by music almost the entire time. That was about it, though. The traveling, partying all night and sleeping on a tour bus had only been exciting while she was young and still new to the business.

It changed immediately when Maddie was born and suddenly she had a husband and a sweet little baby girl she had to say goodbye to. She hated having to leave her girl, and later both of her girls, at home and as soon as she was one the road, she missed them. The days seemed longer, the paparazzi more annoying than ever and waking up in a luxurious suite every morning didn't mean anything without her girls cuddled up next to her. On days like this she felt nothing but alone and thought that being on tour, far away from home, was actually the worst part about being a musician.

Sitting on a plane now, she was headed to Mountain View, CA and thought about all these years she spent flying across the country and playing arena shows almost everywhere. Missing the girls had always been the hardest part about being on tour, but the good thing about being away from home, was that she got to spend so much time with Deacon. Coming out of a 11-year relationship it took a while for both of them to figure out how to deal with each other without being in a romantic relationship. Neither one was used to the distance, the lack of time together, and it was hard to accept that they weren't a permanent part of each others lives anymore. Other than that, especially when it came to music, their lives always remained completely entangled. When they were on tour together, performed together every night, wrote together and walked up to the nosebleed section before the show to have a quiet moment together and maybe talk a little, it almost felt as if nothing changed between them. They had to remind themselves more than once not to cross the line they had drawn, because they knew that once they crossed it, there was no way they could go back and pretend that nothing happened.

Rayna never admitted it to anyone, but the main reason she had been on tour so often over the past few years, was Deacon. She needed him in her life and she always found a way to keep him there since she was a 16 year old girl.

Looking down at her hand now, she drove her thumb over the wedding band Deacon had given her on their wedding day a little more than a year ago. She definitely found a way to keep him in her life permanently, so she didn't have to worry about that anymore. There were however, other things she had to worry about now.

When he had gotten an offer to open for Brad Paisley during the first leg of his tour this year, she had practically pushed him to go out on the road. Deacon hesitated at first, not wanting to leave her and the girls. It took a lot of convincing from her, the girls and Scarlett until he finally took the offer. He was on the road for three weeks now and Rayna missed him like crazy. While he was gone, Rayna found that being on tour without the girls had been one thing. Being at home with Deacon being out on the road, was a completely different issue. It had been so easy for her to fall back into his arms and get used to having him by her side every day. Waking up to a sweet kiss every morning and falling asleep in his strong arms every night, made her realize just how much she needed him, needed them as partners and lovers. It also made her realize that staying at home while your husband was on the road was way harder than she thought it would be.

"Ms. Jaymes, we're landing in San Francisco in about thirty minutes. Please stay in your seat now and turn off all electronic devices," the voice from the young flight attendant pulled Rayna out of her thoughts.

She had toyed with the idea of surprising Deacon for a while now, but she had to meet obligations herself at home and so it had just never been possible for her to fly out and see him. Scarlett, however, had offered to stay with the girls for a few days and that was all it took for Rayna to hop on a charter jet and fly to San Francisco. She made it three weeks and two days without him, but now all she wanted was to be in his arms again.

* * *

"So he really doesn't know you're coming to the show tonight?" Tandy asked as she pulled onto the interstate. She had offered to pick her sister up at the airport in San Francisco and drive with her to the concert.

Rayna smiled at her and shook her head. "No, he doesn't suspect anything. I just hope Steve doesn't spill the secret. He promised secrecy, though, so I hope I can rely on him."

"Steve was the bass player, right?" Tandy asked, wanting to know.

"Yeah. He's gonna meet us before the show and give us backstage passes. We just have to be careful that we don't run into Deacon," Rayna explained.

Tandy laughed. "You sound like you're his dirty little secret. Sneaking in through the backstage entrance and all … You're married now. You don't have to hide anymore."

"Oh shut up! I just wanna surprise him. And I wanna make sure, everyone knows he's mine when I surprise him on stage," Rayna joked, a devilish grin on her face.

"Oh I see. Marking your territory. Just promise me that you wait with ripping your clothes off of each other until you get off the stage," Tandy mocked her sister.

"I'm not gonna promise you anything here ...", Rayna grinned and got a loud sigh from Tandy in response. Only 20 miles and a few hours separated her from Deacon now and just the thought of it made her feel all tingly and warm inside.

* * *

Today was one of these days were Deacon asked himself why he agreed to go on this tour after all. Sure, he loved playing, and working with the guys and girls from his band rather was fun than actual work. He'd know some of them for many years know and he considered himself a lucky guy for getting to make music with them. Still, something or someone was missing. Rayna. And the girls.

He had someone to come home to now and that made leaving harder than it had ever been.

Back in the day he had embraced every tour offer he got. It had been a welcoming distraction for him and there were days where he felt more at home on the road than he did in Nashville. The further he was away from Nashville the easier it was for him ignore the fact that Rayna had a family of her own and played house with someone else and he always felt a little bit lost when he was in Nashville, without her. Nonetheless he only jumped on other tours every once in a while. Most of the time he had been on tour with Rayna and although being around her 24/7, singing love songs with her every night and yet not being able to love her the way he wanted to, drove him crazy sometimes, it was what got him through 13 years of sobriety.

Deacon sighed as he thought about the old times. They were long gone and his life completely changed in the last couple of years. Being married to the love of his life and being a father was more than he could ever ask for. The downside of it was, however, that it made him feel a level of homesickness he never felt before. He contemplated packing his stuff and getting on the next flight to Nashville more than once the last couple of weeks, but he didn't want to let down his band and he had to admit that playing his own songs every night felt pretty damn good.

Grabbing his room keys and cell phone, he left the hotel and headed to the amphitheater for his soundcheck.

* * *

"Okay guys, that's the last one for today. Brad looks like he's ready to kick us off the stage," Deacon announced as they finished the song, glancing over to the side of the stage where Brad Paisley was waiting. Waving at him, Deacon grabbed the bottle in front of him and cleared the stage for the headliner. Similar to being on tour with Luke, everyone had to stick to a schedule on this tour as well, but other than that, being on the road with Brad was nothing like being on the road with the king of country. Brad didn't mind his openers changing their setlist occasionally and he would never cut their time on stage short. Deacon really appreciated the creative freedom he had on this tour, but what he appreciated even more was that he didn't have to stand on the side of the stage, watching the headliner sing songs about- or even with- the woman HE was in love with. As a matter of the fact, now he was the only one, who sang songs about Rayna and singing them was at least a scrap of comfort. If he didn't have her here with him, he could at least tell the world through his songs that she was his.

"Hey man, you sure you wanna do "He Ain't Me" tonight? Pretty obvious that song's about good ole Wheels-up," Steve caught up with him as they were walking through the backstage area.

"Well, I'm pretty sure Luke ain't gonna be here tonight, so ..."

"... but 20,000 fans are gonna be here tonight and I don't know if you heard that before, but most of them have these small electronic devices called cell phones. If you do that song, it's gonna be all over the internet by tomorrow, at the latest," Steve told his boss, only half serious. Frankly, he didn't give a damn about Luke Wheeler and he knew that "He Ain't Me" was a pretty good song, Luke Wheeler allusion or not.

"So what? Let's give them something to talk about tonight," Deacon said, determination clearly audible in his voice.

Steve clapped him on the shoulder. "Oh believe me, man. They will sure have something to talk about tonight," he laughed and left Deacon standing by the backstage entrance.

Raising one eyebrow as he noticed the weird smile on Steve's face, Deacon couldn't help, but wonder, if his bass player was hiding something from him. Something was definitely off with his behavior, but Deacon had no idea what it was.

* * *

"Okay, so you're gonna sing the first verse with him and when you usually have your solo part, you mute your mic and I switch on mine," Rayna summarized their plan.

They managed to sneak in backstage, unnoticed by Deacon and were talking everything through in Brad's dressing room now. He- and Rayna had a feeling almost everyone from the road crew- knew that she was here to surprise Deacon tonight. Brad had generously offered his dressing room to Rayna and Tandy, knowing that the chance that they would run into Deacon here, was virtually zero.

"Yeah right. And then you start singing and come out on stage," Sarah explained. She played the fiddle and was the background singer in Deacon's band and they recently started singing "Jackson" together at almost every show. It started as a joke, but the audience loved their version of the classic and so it had become a permanent feature of the setlist. When Sarah heard that Rayna would come to the show, she suggested Rayna would take her part during that song and Rayna immediately loved the idea.

"I'm so excited," Rayna admitted and tapped her feet nervously.

"Me too. I can't wait to see the look on his face when he realizes it's you, who's singing," Sarah said, genuinely excited.

"I just hope the poor man's not gonna faint," Brad, who listened to their conversation, laughed.

"I would be more afraid that we get to see a show we actually don't wanna witness …" Tandy chimed in, sarcastically.

Rayna gave her a warning glance. "Stop it! What is it with you that every conversation we have goes in one particular direction?"

"Well you know, you two tend to forget that sometimes there are other people in a room with you …." Tandy teased her sister. She remembered one particular situation where the two lovebirds got a little carried away during a good morning kiss last Christmas. Rayna was on the counter already, with her legs wrapped around her husband and Tandy couldn't decide if they were still kissing or having each other for breakfast. It was then when she decided to clear her throat and let them know that she was sitting on the couch, apparently unnoticed by them, and watching their little show.

Knowing immediately what situation her sister referred to, Rayna blushed and slapped her arm lightly. "We're not gonna talk about that now," she clarified and hoped the other two didn't understand their little banter.

Brad and Sarah didn't react on it, but they just exchanged a knowing glance. Whatever the sisters had talked about, it didn't take an expert to tell that Rayna Jaymes and Deacon Claybourne were madly in love with each other and that it was about time for their little reunion tonight.

* * *

As the show was in full play, Rayna stood at the side of the stage and watched Deacon perform. She had to be careful that he didn't see her, though, so she stayed behind a curtain and only peaked out occasionally. She could, however, hear him all the time and that was all it took for her heart to swell up with love. When she heard him announce "He Ain't Me", she even thought that her heart skipped a beat. She knew that he had written it while she was with Luke, but as they broke up and she and Deacon got back together, she heard him play it at home and she immediately liked the groove it had. It was also one of the most confident songs Deacon had written in a long time. Rayna asked him to try it out at the Bluebird or the Beverly, because she was sure that others would like the song just as much, but he denied it, stating that it was too obvious it was about Luke and that it would be disrespectful. She didn't know where his sudden empathy for Luke had come from then and she didn't know what changed his mind now, and frankly, she didn't care. She loved his new self-confidence and the faith and trust he had in their relationship and maybe she also loved that this song, indeed, was a little possessive. He made clear that he was the one for her and that everyone, who tried to compete with him, would lose. Country music superstar or not.

"Thank you," Deacon said into the mic as he finished the song.

"Are y'all ready for a real classic?" he asked. The audience replied with loud cheering noises and Rayna knew that it was time for her appearance. She took the mic, one of the roadies handed her, and waited for Deacon to start the song. Sarah put her fiddle away and went to stand in front of the mic next to Deacon. He said a few words about the song, before he hit the first note on his guitar and launched into the song. Singing the first verse together, Sarah took a few steps back when it was his turn to sing. She usually went solo on the next verse, but this time she didn't move towards the mic again, but just stayed put and smiled.

 _Well, go on down to Jackson; go ahead and wreck your health._

 _Go play your hand you big-talkin' man, make a fool out of yourself._

 _Yeah, go to Jackson; go comb your hair !_

Deacon was confused at first. He looked at Sarah with a questioning look, but she just smiled at him. He heard a female voice, but Sarah clearly wasn't singing. _What the hell_ , he thought, when all of a sudden, it hit him. He knew that voice! He would recognize it among a thousand voices, but he didn't expect to hear it tonight. He didn't have any time to give more thought to it, though. Hearing the audience clapping and cheering loudly, he turned around and there she was. Walking on stage, she smiled that smile she only gave him and he felt as if the world stood still for a second. He forgot that he stood in front of 20,000 people. He forgot that he was supposed to sing the next verse and he even forgot to play guitar. All he could do was to stare at his beautiful wife, flabbergasted and with the happiest grin he knew.

The moment her eyes locked with Deacon's, she knew that they wouldn't make it through the song. He missed his entry and stopped playing while his blue eyes practically pierced her. She could tell that he had absolutely no idea that she would be here tonight. He was in shock, not able to move, so she took the last missing steps and closed the distance between them. With only his guitar between them, she took his hand in hers and put down her mic. "Hey," she said softly, for his ears only.

"Hey," he managed to say, still trying to sort his thoughts. _How the hell did I get so lucky,_ he thought. Gazing at the woman in front of him, he realized that she probably expected some kind of reaction from him now.

 _Kiss her_ , his heart told him while his mind argued that he should just say a few words to her and introduce her to the audience. _Screw it_ , he told himself and buried his hands in her hair. Pulling her closer, their lips melted together as they kissed each other frantically.

As soon as his lips met hers, she forgot everything around her. All that mattered right now, was him and her and their love for each other. She slung her arms around his neck as he deepened the kiss and sighed against his lips when the background noises got louder again. Not wanting to stop the kiss, she tried to ignore the cheering and clapping, but found that she couldn't. They stood on the stage of a sold-out amphitheater after all and you could tell that everyone in the audience was just as excited to see her as Deacon was.

Breaking away from the kiss, she smiled at him affectionately.

"I guess I can still surprise you, huh?" she teased him.

"I guess you can," he admitted, still holding her gaze. He slung his arm around her waist and turned his head to face the mic again. "Rayna Jaymes y'all," he introduced her as she waved at the crowd.

"That was one helluva surprise, wasn't it?" he asked and smiled at Rayna again. Still at a loss for words, he laughed and shook his head.

"I'm still trying to find the right words for this … I'm as surprised as y'all, as you maybe can tell …" he tried to express his feelings.

"I'm sorry I messed up the song …" he apologized, but no one seemed to hold it against him.

"I hope y'all are not mad at me for doing this during a Johnny Cash classic …" Rayna chimed in, but only got cheers of encouragement in response.

"You know what. Since you came here all the way from Nashville and ruined our last song, how 'bout you make up for it right now?" Deacon teased and had the crowd on his side.

"And what were you thinking about, darling?" Rayna played along.

"Well you know, she and I used to sing together," he said to the audience and turned his head to face Rayna again.

"So I thought maybe we could do one of our old songs?" he suggested, a challenging look on his face.

"We could do that," she replied as she turned around and asked the band. "Which one do you know?"

Deacon just smiled at her as he brought his face closer to hers and whispered against her ear. "They only know the cool ones." Rayna raised her eyebrow, but didn't have time to ask further questions as Deacon told the band to start off "Postcard from Mexico".

Getting a devilish wink from Deacon, Rayna shook her head, laughing. She immediately understood the message he was sending, even without words. _Told you, I would use every opportunity I get to sing with you. Guess I turned the tables now._

* * *

They barely made it through the song without jumping each others bones. True, "Postcard from Mexico" was one of their 'cool' songs, it was also one of the most sexiest songs they have ever written. Although the song was about 20 years old by now, both of them remembered writing it all too well. Memories of a small rundown hotel, a sticky room, silk sheets and sweaty bodies came to their minds and along with the pent-up tension of not seeing each other for more than three weeks now, they lit the stage on fire, the spark between the couple visible for everyone.

As soon as they got off the stage, their lips found each other as they kissed each other hungrily. When he felt her tongue tracing the outline of his lips, begging for entrance, he willingly opened his mouth and seconds later their tongues were wrapped around one another's. Kissing each other frantically, their hands roaming all over each others bodies, they broke apart when all of a sudden they heard someone clearing her throat behind them.

"Really guys? You could at least go somewhere, where you have a little more privacy," Tandy remarked sarcastically. Rayna's cheeks turned a light shade of red as she looked at her sister and their surroundings, realizing that they stood in a crowded hallway in the backstage area, members of the road crew passing them and looking at them with a knowing grin. She bit her lips and looked at Deacon, coyly, hoping that he would help her out. He just gave her a sheepish grin, though, and took a step back, bringing some distance between them.

"Yeah … ehm, do y'all wanna stay for Brad's show? I'm gonna go out on stage and join him during the encore," he tried to change the subject.

Rayna nodded eagerly. "I'd love to stay," she said, grateful for the topic change.

"What about you?" she looked at her older sister.

"Fine with me," Tandy replied. "If you two promise to behave, I can drop you off at the hotel and then head back home," she suggested.

Rayna and Deacon agreed with her suggestion, smiling at each other, telling one another that they made it more than three weeks without each other. A few more hours sounded quite manageable compared to that.

* * *

Bidding their farewell to Tandy, they made it as far as the elevator before they were all over each other again. As soon as the elevator doors closed, Deacon backed her up against the wall and pressed his lips to Rayna's. Moaning in surprise when her back hit the cold wall of the elevator, she slid her arms around his neck, but only returned the kiss reluctantly. She turned her head a little and looked into his eyes when he released her lips.

"Babe, what are you doing? We …," she wanted to know, but Deacon interrupted her.

"Baby, I missed you. I'm done talking," he whispered against her mouth as he brought his lips to hers again. Throwing her caution to the wind, she didn't argue this time and buried her hands in his dark hair. Their hips collided as she pulled him even more solidly against her body. Returning the kiss, she felt Deacon humming against her lips as she bit down on his lower lip and slid her tongue into his mouth. Savoring every inch of it, their tongues found each other and they were lost in each other until they heard the signal of the elevator and the doors jerked open.

He loosened his grip around her as they exited the elevator, their breathing heavy and their lips swollen from the passionate kisses they exchanged. Noticing that no one of the other hotel guests was within sight, they hurried down the hallway, hand in hand, until they stood in front of Deacon's room.

Pressing her against the wooden door, their lips crashed together again as Rayna's hands slid into his back pocket, searching for the key. Fishing it out, she broke the kiss to unlock the door while her husband's lips started to assault her neck. As the door flew open they stumbled into the room and he kicked the door closed as soon as they made it over the threshold.

Awaiting his next move in anticipation, she looked into his deep blue eyes, clouded with desire and lust. Biting her lips, she squealed in surprise as his hands cupped her ass and he lifted her off the ground. Wrapping her legs around his midsection, her lips found his neck, alternating between sucking, biting and placing butterfly kisses on the warm skin. He carried her across the room and set her down on the bed. Staying between her legs, he bent down to kiss her bare shoulder and to leave a wet trail of kisses all the way up her throat to the sensitive spot behind her ear. Stretching her neck and pushing her hair behind her ear, she gave him better access and let out a little moan as he gently sucked at the sensitive flesh. Her hands slid under his shirt, roaming all over his upper body and signaling him that she wanted full access to what was underneath it. Stopping the assault of her neck, he helped her getting rid of his shirt as he pulled it over his head and it dropped carelessly to the floor.

Taking in the sight of him, Rayna licked her lips. Knowing him for almost thirty years, she knew that her husband sure was a sight for sore eyes, but looking at him now, she couldn't help but think that he got even more attractive every time she saw him. She traced his scar with her index finger before she kissed her way down to the waistband of his jeans. His chest was already heaving, his breath became more erratic the further down her lips moved. She brushed her hand over the bulge in his jeans and caused him to let out a sharp breath. Smirking, she looked up at him, her own eyes giving away her need for him.

"You really missed me, huh?" she teased, but didn't get a verbal reply to her question. Instead Deacon captured her lips with his again and showed her just how much he missed her.

Kissing him back, she blindly fondled with the button on his jeans. As it sprung open, she unzipped them and pushed them off his hips. Gasping for air, they broke the kiss and Deacon bent down to shed his boots, socks and step out off his jeans. Standing in front of his wife, wearing only his boxers, his arousal was clearly visible, only confined in the comfort of his boxers. When she reached for him again, her hands dangerously close to sliding into his boxers, he caught her wrists and stopped her.

"Not like that baby. You're still completely dressed," he told her as she withdrew her hands and smiled at him, lovingly. He had always been a gentleman. Granted, he enjoyed it when she worked her magic on him, but he always made sure that she enjoyed it just as much.

He stole another lingering kiss from her lips, before he returned the favor and lifted her top over her head. Her other pieces of clothing followed suit, until she sat in front of him in just her lacy bra and matching panties. He unclasped her bra in one skillful notion and tossed it to the pile of clothes next to him.

"God, you're so beautiful," he whispered as his lips brushed hers again. Cupping her breasts with his large hands, he massaged them and placed a number of soft kisses on the top of them. His hot breath on her skin sent chills up her spine as she leaned closer and scraped her fingernails along his neck. She gently bit down on his shoulder as his hands continued to fondle her breasts. As he pulled back, she panted for breath, her eyes pleading and telling him how much she wanted him, needed him. He looked at her beautiful face, her long hair cascading around it, her eyes full of desire and love for him. Exchanging one last passionate kiss, they shed their last pieces of clothing, before she pulled him on the bed with her. Feeling his weight on her, breathing in his familiar scent, a sense of security took over her body.

"I love you," she said softly as she reached out to stroke his stubble with one hand.

"I love you too," he returned the three words as he guided himself into her and they both knew that there was no place they would rather be right now.


End file.
